Is This a Priority for You?

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 52 seconds

You have time - you just don’t have time for everything.

What you say “yes” to is what you’re choosing to value.

Honest language leads to intentional living.

Today’s newsletter was inspired by a recent revelation I’ve had:

The wave of success is yours to ride, regardless of who first caught that wave.

You can float or sink.

Will you capitalise on the opportunity, or will you be left behind?

Today’s quote is attributed to Persian poet Hafiz:

If you keep saying “I can’t,” you’ll feel powerless.

If you start saying “I choose not to,” you take back ownership.

Saying “I don’t have time” feels innocent.

It softens the blow. It avoids discomfort.

But often it’s just not true.

What we really mean is: “That’s not important enough to me right now.”

Which might be fair, but if we’re not honest about that, we stay stuck in the illusion that we’re victims of our calendar, instead of stewards of our priorities.

Shifting from “I don’t have time” to “It’s not a priority” is confronting, but also clarifying.

It forces us to reckon with what we’re actually choosing, and what we’re perhaps overlooking or even pretending to care about.

Here are 3 ways to live more honestly with your time:

1. Use honest language.

   Next time you say “I don’t have time,” try rephrasing it as “It’s not a priority right now.”

   You might catch yourself, or you might confirm what truly matters

2. Audit your week.

   Look at your calendar, not your intentions.

   Where are you actually investing your hours?

   Time is where your values show up in real life.

3. Align your actions with your values.

   If something really is a priority - like your health, your relationships, your faith, your rest - then give it space.

   Don’t wait for ‘someday’. Try to do it now.

Let’s dive deeper into today’s wisdom with these 3 journal prompts:

• What’s something I keep saying I don’t have time for, but truly want to prioritise?

• Where are my daily choices out of sync with what I say matters most?

• How could my language shift my perspective and my priorities?

Want to learn more about journaling? Join Journal Wiser today!

Today’s resource is Sahil Bloom’s Energy Calendar Framework.

I first heard Sahil share this in January 2024 at Ali Abdaal’s book launch.

It’s a quick activity that you can complete to assess whether you are energised by the things that you’ve committed to.

This will help you identify whether there are things that you should be saying “This isn’t a priority for me” to.

Learn how to implement the Energy Calendar Framework here:

If you have any feedback on the WISER Newsletter, I would love to hear it! Simply reply to this email, and I will get back to you. Alternatively, just DM me on social media.

You can find my social links and learn how to work with me here.

Catch you in the next issue!

Thanks,
Michael